


The Bar at the End of the Universe

by SilverHeart09



Category: Doctor Who
Genre: F/F, Implied/Referenced Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-20
Updated: 2019-03-05
Packaged: 2019-11-01 05:57:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 14,300
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17861633
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilverHeart09/pseuds/SilverHeart09
Summary: There’s a myth that speaks of a Bar at the End of the Universe where the recently deceased are sent, those with unfinished business doomed to spend eternity there unless either they’re brought back from the cusp or revenge is taken on their behalf.Following a mortal injury, this is exactly where the Doctor ends up.Featuring Jack being an unhelpful spirit guide, Missy being an even more unhelpful Time Lady, and the Doctor and Yaz being precious cinnamon rolls.(Thirteen doesn't actually die I swear)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Let's get one thing clear first off:  
> I AM NOT GOING TO KILL THIRTEEN
> 
> Pinky promise :)
> 
> This fic is an amalgamation of loads of ideas that I had which I realised I could just shove together to create this :D 
> 
> I hope you enjoy! :D

‘Come on you lot! Get a shift on!’

‘I’m wearing the wrong shoes!’ Ryan protested, sliding everywhere in his sandals, feet hitting the ground and kicking up dust as the four of them raced towards the safety of the TARDIS, the blue box parked a little while ahead of them, bright, blue and brilliant against the orange sky and brown grass.

‘You said this place was uninhabited!’ Graham protested.

‘I was obviously wrong!’

The TARDIS was closer now, almost in front of them, and Ryan was the first inside, the doors throwing themselves open to welcome them home, or to tell them off for getting into trouble. Again. The Doctor was grateful her friends couldn’t understand the TARDIS’s clicks and whirs; for such an old box the language was remarkably creative. She kept meaning to have a word with her about the swearing. 

A sudden flash of movement caught the Doctor’s attention and her hearts lept into her throat as her eyes went wide.

‘YAZ!’ 

The Doctor screamed her name in panic as one of the Canalope jumped out from behind a rock, weapon held high and pointed right at Yaz. 

The Doctor flung herself forwards, urging the last bit of energy from her tired limbs as she smacked into Yaz and practically knocked her into the TARDIS. She was aware of a sharp pain in her side but she shrugged it off as she slammed the doors shut behind her, her three friends panting and gasping for breath inside the control room.

‘That was fun!’ she  said cheerfully. ‘Nothing like a bit of exercise to start the day off right.’

‘A  _ bit?’  _ Graham complained. ‘I feel like I’ve just run a marathon!’

‘Ooh that reminds me, did I ever tell you about the anti-gravity marathon olympics of Renonion 9? So much fun. I’ll have to take you there, it’s hilarious.’

The TARDIS lurched as it re-entered the Time Vortex and it sent a sudden, shooting pain through the Doctor’s torso. She gasped as she gripped her controls and gritted her teeth against the wave of dizziness that suddenly washed over her, becoming aware of a steady, slowly growing  _ burn  _ spreading through her chest. 

‘You’re bleeding.’

Ryan’s quiet voice broke the silence she hadn’t realised had fallen and she looked up to see her three friends staring at her chest- at the dark, red stain that was starting to seep through her clothes.

‘Doctor?’ Yaz said quietly, stepping forwards. ‘Is everything okay?’

‘Uh…’ 

The Doctor pressed her hand against her side and blood leaked through her fingers. She’d gone a peculiar grey colour and Ryan was too slow to catch her as her knees crumpled and she hit the floor of the TARDIS with a resonating  _ clang,  _ screwing her eyes shut in pain as she clutched the console of her beloved ship, her oldest companion whirring and beeping in alarm. 

‘It’s alright, Doc,’ Graham said, the closest to her, quickly kneeling beside her with a reassuring hand on his friend’s back. ‘You’re alright. I’m guessing they hit you, yeah?’

‘Yeah.’

The Doctor swallowed, breaths coming out in shorts gasps as she pressed her hand firmer against her side, dark red blood dripping onto the floor.

Yaz and Ryan were both kneeling in front of her, hands on her legs and arms and she slouched into them, unable to hold herself upright, pressing her body against Ryan’s as she closed her eyes.

‘Hey! Don’t go to sleep on us,’ Yaz said, slapping her cheeks. She sounded panicked and frightened and when the Doctor groggily managed to open her eyes she saw her exchange terrified looks with Graham and Ryan.

‘Tell us what to do,’ Ryan said urgently, his voice calm despite the circumstances. ‘Do you need to go into one of those healing comas? Or is this a cup of tea sort of job?’

The Doctor laughed and immediately regretted it as what was left of her ribs burned and she started coughing instead, blood dripping out of her mouth as she gasped for air. 

‘Just relax, Doc,’ Graham said gently. He seemed to understand better than the other two what was happening, but perhaps that was because he’d seen more of the world. Ryan and Yaz were still practically children. Although everyone was in the Doctor’s ancient eyes. 

Pressed as she was against Ryan’s chest, the Doctor could hear the frantic beat of his heart, his fingers tightly gripping her arm. She must have been bleeding all over him but he didn't seem to care. If anything he only pulled her closer, sitting her up carefully against his front. He was soft, warm and reassuring and the Doctor was glad he was there, was glad they all were.

Her fingers reached out and Yaz took her hand, sitting close to her, squeezing tightly. 

‘I think this might be it,’ the Doctor said quietly, each word pained and coming out as barely a whisper. 

‘What do you mean “it”?’ Ryan said, looking up at Yaz. 

‘I can’t heal this.’

‘Shut up, yes you can!’ Yaz cried. ‘If you can regrow your organs you can totally survive this. This is nothing, just a minor setback. You just need a really good nap. Right? And a cup of tea too. We’ll get you a blanket and a cup of tea and you’ll be fine.’ She sounded like she was really trying to convince the Doctor that those two things were all she needed, and maybe if the blast hadn’t shot straight through her insides and damaged one of her hearts, she might agree. As it is though, in this instance anyway, those two things may not do the job. She can’t even feel that familiar tug of regeneration spiralling up inside her. This is really it. 

‘I can’t, Yaz,’ the Doctor mumbled, her body completely slack in Ryan’s arms, vision going dark. ‘Can’t heal, can’t regenerate.’

‘Wait, you mean you’re…’

Ryan couldn’t finish his sentence and his voice was choked, as though there was a massive lump in his throat. 

‘Doctor, please,’ Yaz begged her, tears rolling down her cheeks. ‘This can’t be it.’

‘The TARDIS will take you home.’

Every breath was painful now and she almost had the sensation of falling slowly backwards, as though she was tipping off the edge of the world. She closed her eyes, concentrating on the  _ thump thump thump  _ of Ryan’s heart where her head was pressed against his chest, Yaz’s hand squeezing her own and Graham gently holding her shoulder. 

‘Doc…’

She managed to open her eyes again to look at each of them, their tear-stained faces, their wide red eyes and tormented expressions.

‘Don’t cry because it’s over,’ she said softly, managing a smile. ‘Smile because it happened. And thank you, so much. It’s been the greatest honour having you come with me. I’m sorry it had to end like this.’

That was a lot of words for her and she trailed off towards the end, starting to cough again, each jerk of her body sending shooting pains through her chest. 

‘Please don’t go.’

That was Yaz, tears spilling uncontrollable from her eyes, squeezing the Doctor’s hands as though she was willing her to stay alive. She could feel her body shutting down, and one heart stalled to a stop in her chest. She thought it would hurt but it didn't, in fact it only released a sense of calm that washed over her like a wave, giving her the strength to squeeze Yaz’s hand back, brushing her thumb across the other woman’s knuckles. If only she’d had more time. There was so much she still wanted to show them, so many experiences she wanted them to see.

So much left unsaid. 

‘I’m gonna miss you,’ Ryan said quietly, holding her tight against him, almost cradling her like a child. 

‘Say hi to Grace for me, won’t you, love?’ Graham said softly, stroking back her sweaty hair from her face. He kissed her temple gently and while she may have once screwed up her face at the gesture in disgust, she welcomed it now. Whether or not Grace would even be there where she was going she didn't know. Truth be told, she wasn’t sure where she’d end up. She’d be uploaded to the Matrix back home on Gallifrey for definite, hopefully wouldn’t end up as a Cloister Wraith. Imagine spending the rest of eternity as a firewall. How humiliating.  

‘It’s been my greatest honour being your friend,’ Graham said quietly, and she felt his tears dripping onto her forehead. 

‘I love you,’ Yaz wept. 

So many unsaid things. That was a song, wasn’t it?  _ I still got so many unsaid things that I wanna say. _

Maybe River would be there, somewhere. Maybe she’d escaped the library and was floating around through time and space with Bill and her puddle friend. What was her name again? Some kind of plant. Tulip? ‘Sentient Space Puddle’ was probably a bit demeaning. 

The Doctor’s thoughts were muddling together now, eyes shut, body limp, hovering somewhere between life and death, her three friends crying over her and holding her tightly. She’d done well to chose them, hopefully she hadn’t disrupted their lives too much and they’d find some normality to go back to.

The Doctor felt something pulling her and she felt complete and utter calm. There was something out there waiting for her, calling her home. Some bright force she’d never encountered before. This was it, she’d finally get to find out what happened when you died, what the afterlife was really all about. 

Who knows, maybe Missy would be there. Although if it was the bloody Nethersphere she’d be cross. 

She felt herself floating away from her friends, away from the floor, up up up through the roof of the TARDIS until she was drifting in space, the stars bright and beautiful, shining above her. She smiled and closed her eyes, stretching out her arms. She could feel the eb and flow of the universe around her and it was as though she was surfing it, the Time Vortex flowing over her, sending her somewhere beyond her comprehension. This was it, but she’d lived a long life, she was ready.

Her last thoughts were of Yaz, Graham and Ryan as something gripped her and she was pulled through time and space.

* * *

 

 

Back in the TARDIS, the Doctor limp and unmoving in Ryan’s arms, the doors were suddenly flung open and the three humans turned tear-streaked faces to the figure in the doorway, arms outstretched, cocky smile on her face, an umbrella hanging from one arm like some weird outer-space Mary Poppins.

‘Hello, darling,’ Missy said with a seductive smirk. ‘You rang?’

 

* * *

 

 

The Doctor gasped awake, hand clutching her chest, feeling as though she’d just been sucked through a vacuum tube and spat out the other end. That feeling of calm was gone now and there was only panic, gripping every fiber of her being. Something was wrong, something bad had happened, something was  _ wrong wrong wrong.  _

‘Hello, Doctor,’ a familiar American drawl said, and she looked up into the face of Captain Jack Harkness, smiling softly at her. He had a hand on her shoulder as she tried to shake the postwhateveritwas fog from her mind, hearts thumping too fast in her chest.

‘Jack?’ 

Her mind was foggy, confused. She couldn’t remember where she was or how she’d gotten there or what the  _ hell  _ was going on. Her vision was blurry but things were slowly starting to become clearer. She heard music playing, laughing, the clink of glasses and the soft hum of voices.

‘Been a while,’ Jack said gently, a hand on her face, cupping her cheek affectionately. ‘Welcome to the Bar at the End of the Universe. Let me get you a drink, I think you could do with one.’

_ Oh crap.  _

  
  



	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 2!
> 
> I reaaaally hope I've done Missy justice, I love her so much!! Thank you so much for everyone's comments and kudos so far, love to you all ❤️❤️

‘I mean I would have appreciated a bit more of a  _ hello,’  _ Missy said crossly, hanging her umbrella from one of the crystalline pillars and removing the pins securing her hat to her perfectly coiffed hairdo. ‘Honestly I came all this way and no-one even bothers to say  _ hi _ .’

The TARDIS beeped and Missy gave the console a wide-eyed look, faking indignation.

‘That was  _ not  _ the kind of hello I was looking for, madam!’ she exclaimed, batting at the levers like a cat. ‘Watch your language! Not sure I approve of the new look by the way, bit too Earthy for my taste.’

‘I’m sorry, but who are you?’ Graham asked her. 

‘I could ask you the same thing!’ she replied crossly. ‘Unless  _ you’re  _ the Doctor. Oh please tell me you are I’d laugh so hard.’

There was silence and she scoffed and pulled out a small pocket mirror, checking her reflection and running her tongue over her teeth. 

‘Tough crowd.’

She closed the mirror and crossed over to them, heels clacking on the metal floor, peering over them at the Doctor lying in Ryan’s arms and the three humans with tears still falling from their eyes.

‘Ooh,’ Missy said in a lilting Scottish accent. ‘She looks a bit dead now, doesn’t she?’

There was more silence from the three humans and she moaned dramatically and scooted Graham out of the way with her foot. 

‘Move, move. I’m assuming  _ that  _ hot mess is the Doctor then, hmm? Typical. I regenerate into a woman so she did too. She’s always copying me, you know. Ever since we were children.’

‘Are you related?’ Ryan asked, finding his voice and giving Missy a strange look as she pulled the Doctor’s shirts up, winching at the deep hole in the side of her chest. 

‘Now that looks like a Canalope energy blast to me. Probably dissolved most of her insides. Nasty thing. Well, she’s dead. Can’t regenerate from that. Never mind, looks like I came all this way for nothing.’

Missy straightened up and turned, collecting her umbrella from the pillar as she walked towards the doors.

‘Wait!’ Graham called after her. ‘Is there nothing you can do?’

‘And who  _ are  _ you?’ Ryan asked.

Missy turned to them slowly, rotating on one foot.

‘I’m Missy,’ she said, as though this should be obvious. ‘Obviously.’

‘Obviously?’

‘Has she’ - she indicated the Doctor with her umbrella - ‘never mentioned me?’

‘Well, no,’ Graham said. ‘She hasn’t. But can’t you help her? You said you were related.’

‘No,  _ I  _ never said that,’ Missy said crossly. ‘ _ That  _ idiot did. We’re not related, we’re just super best friends.’

‘You’ve got a weird way of showing it,’ Yaz said quietly.

‘Oooh the little mouse has found her voice has she?’ Missy snarked. ‘Me and her grew up together. I know  _ all  _ her secrets, including which singer from her favourite boyband she used to have on her wall.’ 

‘Please,’ Yaz whispered, not looking up at her. ‘Please leave. If you’re not going to help her, please go.’

Missy was silent for a moment, eyes narrowed at Yaz. She pointed the end of her umbrella at the Doctor and it made a strange noise, similar to the sound made by the sonic screwdriver. 

‘I mean help her how, exactly? She’s dead, dear. Mostly.’

‘Mostly?’ Graham looked up. ‘What do you mean “mostly”?’

Missy sighed dramatically again and hung her umbrella back up, rolling her sleeves up to her elbows.

‘I mean  _ mostly.  _ Time Lords take absolutely ages to die. Huh, interesting. I wonder if she prefers to go by Time  _ Lady.  _ I’ll have to ask her.’ 

‘Ask her?’ Yaz asked. ‘But you just said she was-’

‘Yes, yes I know what I said,’ Missy replied, waving her off. ‘Gods, you lot are slow. Where’s the puppy with the big brown eyes? Or that other woman with the massive hair? At least they were feisty. I’ll even take the bald bloke that looks like an egg.’

‘Our friend has just died,’ Ryan said, his voice quiet yet angry. ‘Show some respect.’

Missy scoffed. ‘Do you even know how many times your  _ friend  _ has died?’ she asked in that Scottish accent. ‘Granted it does look like it did actually take this time but it isn’t her first rodeo. Remind me to get my pictures out. The idiot with the celery is my favourite. I mean  _ why.’ _

She knelt beside them and rolled her shoulders, cracking her neck as she placed her hands either side of the Doctor’s face and closed her eyes.

‘Now, shut you up lot, I need absolute silence. And a cup of tea. And a hand grenade.’

‘What do you need a hand grenade for?’

‘I said  _ shut up.  _ I’m trying to listen.’

‘For what?’ Yaz whispered.

‘For her. I’m trying to see if there’s enough of her left in there for it to be worth trying to save her now  _ shut up  _ or else I will  _ throw you into a supernova.’ _

It took a couple of minutes of silent concentration but eventually Missy pulled away from her, contemplating, fingers tapping the metal grill of the TARDIS floor.

‘Well?’ Graham asked. 

‘Hmmm.’

‘Hmmm? Is that good or bad? Is she still in there?’

‘Could go both ways,’ Missy said, tapping her chin. ‘I can’t detect any trace of life left in her but she also can’t technically be declared dead yet, not by Time Lord standards anyway, so it’s a bit of a grey area.’

‘How can you be devoid of life yet not dead?’ Graham asked, confused. 

‘I’m assuming you have coma patients on your pathetic planet?’ Missy asked, eyebrow raised, regarding Graham as a piece of chewing gum stuck to the bottom of her shoe. ‘Not that that really applies to this situation, I just wanted to make you feel like an idiot. Did it work?’

‘How on earth are you a friend of the Doctor’s?’ Ryan asked quietly, the aforementioned woman still lying deathly still in his arms. ‘You’re like chalk and cheese.’

Missy let out a short bark of laughter. ‘All the best things are,’ she replied. ‘Every Holmes needs her Moriarty, every Yin needs its Yang.’

‘Can you save her?’ Yaz pressed. ‘Is it possible?’

‘Well now,’ Missy said in that Scottish accent that was getting more and more irritating the more she did it. ‘That is the question of the hour, isn’t it?’

‘That’s not an answer,’ Ryan told her. 

Missy gasped at him, clapping her hands together in delight. ‘No it isn’t,’ she said. ‘Did you learn that in school?’ 

‘CAN YOU SAVE HER,’ Yaz yelled suddenly, and the Time Lady looked slightly taken aback. 

‘There is  _ no need to shout,’  _ she told her. ‘And I don’t know. If you look carefully you will notice that she has a massive hole in the side of her chest which, by the looks of things, has stopped both her hearts, partially dissolving one in the process, burnt through her ribs and destroyed most of her vital organs. Now I  _ could  _ put her into a healing coma, just for a laugh to see what happens, but it may not achieve anything, my dear, because she’s  _ dead. _ ’ 

‘How did you even get here?’ Graham asked, confused. ‘When you came in you made it sound like we called for you.’

‘You did!’ Missy protested. ‘Or rather  _ she  _ did.’ She knelt on the floor to peer at the wound on the Doctor’s chest, fingers gently prodding around it, expression thoughtful.

‘But-’

‘Listen carefully, because I hate repeating myself,’ Missy said, a finger pointed sternly at Graham. ‘When a Time Lord is dying, particularly in stressful and traumatic situations, their telepathy goes a bit all over the place. On our planet back home it would be a call to our families to come find us, a message to say it’s time to say goodbye. Now I was just relaxing, chilling, plotting world domination, you know, the usual, and I suddenly got a message in my head from this one asking for help.’

‘She called you telepathically?’ Yaz asked, beginning to understand.

‘In a manner of speaking,’ Missy replied. ‘To be honest, I doubt she even knew she was doing it. She was probably just thinking about me but it was enough to get my attention.’

‘But you don’t seem to care about her,’ Ryan said. ‘Why did you come?’

Missy’s eyes turned dark as she glared at him. 

‘Never assume I don’t care about her. We have an extremely complicated relationship, that’s very true, but she is my best friend. My  _ first  _ friend. I let her down once before. I won’t do it again.’

‘So, you’re going to try and help her?’ Yaz asked, looking up at Missy through her tears.

Missy’s face was set in grim determination. ‘Yes,’ she said. ‘Yes I suppose I am.’

* * *

‘Explain it to me again,’ the Doctor said, frowning into her glass.

‘You’re dead.’

‘Right.’

‘But you’ve got some kind of unfinished business so you’ve ended up here.’

‘That could be anything from finding a missing sock to wiping out all remaining Daleks. I could literally be here for the rest of eternity.’

‘ _ Or  _ someone is trying to save you so this is like a buffer zone while the Powers That Be decide if you’re going to be allowed to live again.’

‘I can’t think of anyone who’d be able to save me,’ the Doctor said moodily, tapping her fingers on the wood of the bar. ‘So I guess it’s the sock thing. It was a purple one with stripes. I’m sure I put it in the washing machine, maybe it fell down the back?’

They were sat at the bar, staring down into their drinks while behind them an assortment of aliens from all across the universe danced, sang, drank and shimmied across the dance floor, the band loud and brash, the music vibrant and tuneful. The roof was a clear sheet of glass above them was, stars, galaxies and nebulas shining through and casting the inside of the bar in an iridescent light. The inside of the bar was enormous, the walls too far away in the distance to see. 

‘It gets easier,’ Jack said gently. ‘Once you’re here for a week or so you start to get into a routine. It isn’t just a bar, you know. They have private rooms upstairs and I’ve heard talk of a jacuzzi somewhere, though I’ve never been able to find it myself.’

‘I just can’t believe its come to this,’ the Doctor mumbled into the wooden surface. ‘I’ve lived for thousands of years and now I’m doomed to an eternity of whatever  _ this  _ is.’

Her head still felt a little foggy, and she had so  _ so  _ many questions, but currently even just sitting at the bar with Jack proved to be too much and she put her head on the counter, closing her eyes.

She sat up when the bartender put another drink in front of her, the band behind them moving onto a gentler song. 

‘It’s good to see you,’ Jack said softly. ‘I do wish it was under different circumstances though.’

The Doctor reached out a hand to put on top of his, silent, unsure of what to say. Granny 7 had told her about the Bar at the End of the Universe, another bedtime story when she couldn’t sleep, but she’d never believed it and actually being here was proving difficult for her to comprehend.

‘How did you get here, Jack?’ she asked eventually. ‘I get that I’m dead, I remember dying, but you’re immortal.’

‘Oh I’ve been here loads of times. This is where I go, you know, when I die. Usually don’t even get to finish my drink before I wake up again.’ Jack looked down into his empty beer glass. ‘This time round seems a little bit different.’

‘So, I’m in limbo basically,’ the Doctor said, stirring her drink with a straw.

‘Basically, yeah,’ Jack said with a shrug. ‘Pretty cool place to be in limbo though. At least there’s music and attractive women. Yourself included.’

The Doctor raised an eyebrow at him.

‘Hey! I’m just saying. You know I find you attractive in any incarnation, Doctor, but on this occasion you’ve reaaaally outdone yourself. The blonde? You look like Rose.’

She looked down into her drink, silent.

‘I mean, in a blonde-hair kind of way,’ Jack said quickly, realising he’d put his foot in it. ‘You know, no other similarities, you’re completely unique in all other ways. Especially your eyes, did I tell you your eyes are gorgeous? They’re like greeny-brown, very mysterious.’

‘Jack.’

‘Yeah I’m going to shut up now.’

Despite the morbidity of the situation, the Doctor was intrigued at the sheer number of different races here, aliens that she would have once considered her enemies now bowing their heads at her in respect. Others who were once at war with each other now calmly talking over drinks or playing games together. 

‘There’s no violence allowed here,’ Jack said, noticing her quizzical look. ‘The odd bit of hanky panky but no hitting, slapping or punching. Well, unless it’s consensual of course.’

He winked at her and the Doctor rolled her eyes. 

‘No wonder you end up here so often then,’ she said.

Jack shrugged and leaned back in his chair, arms outstretched.

‘What can I say? I’ve got a lot of love to give. And people seem to get a kick out of killing me.’

‘I can’t imagine why,’ the Doctor said, finishing her drink. It even tasted like alcohol, though whether or not it would have an effect on her was yet to be seen. 

An alien with five tentacles protruding from its back made its way over to then, holding a tentacle out to the Doctor, clearly asking her for a dance but she shook her head and declined as politely as she could.

‘What about me?’ Jack asked. ‘Would you dance with me?’

‘I don’t dance at all.’

‘That’s not what big-ears would have said,’ Jack told her, eyebrow raised. 

‘I’m not big-ears anymore.’

‘No,’ Jack said, thoughtfully. ‘You’re certainly not.’

He stood up, brushed off his coat and held a hand out to her. 

‘One dance,’ he said gently. ‘It might make you feel a little more grounded.’

The Doctor looked at him, seeing the earnest honesty in his face, and jumped down from her bar stool, taking his hand and letting him lead her to the dance floor when he tucked an arm around her waist and held her hand gently in his, swaying slowly to the slow music coming from the stage. He felt familiar and safe but there was still a nagging doubt at the back of the Doctor’s mind that this was all an illusion, some kind of trick of the Matrix, that none of this could actually be happening.

‘You don’t believe I’m real, do you?’ he asked, not accusingly.

‘I don’t know,’ the Doctor replied. ‘I mean, this place even existing goes against my entire belief system. And while I can accept that it _could_ be real, there’s just so much that doesn’t make sense.’

He spun her slowly, her grey coat tails twirling around her legs and pulled her back close against him. 

‘Does it need to make sense?’ he asked her. ‘The first time I ended up here I thought my vortex manipulator had suddenly started working again and jumped me across the universe. Then when I woke up back on Earth I was sure it was just a dream until it kept happening, over and over and over again. That was when I started doing research, finding people who’d been here but had managed to escape.’

‘Escape?’

‘People who managed to come back from the dead. Other immortals like me, most of the time, but sometimes coma patients believed to be past the point of saving wake up one day and still retain all their memories of being here.’

‘I can’t picture that happening to me,’ the Doctor said, considering. ‘The blast was so bad I couldn’t even regenerate.’

‘Blast?’

‘Canalope weapon, straight through the ribs.’

Jack winched. ‘I’ve been hit by one of those before, they’re nasty. Death no. 4037 I think. Or maybe it was 38, difficult to keep track.’ 

_ Oi! Stop ignoring me! _

The Doctor winched and jumped out of Jack’s arms with a hand pressed tightly against her head, eyes screwed up in pain.

‘Hey, what’s happening?’ Jack asked, a hand on her arm to steady her.

‘I don’t know,’ the Doctor said, confused. ‘But I could have sworn that sounded like-’

_ Stop flirting with flyboy and listen carefully. _

The Doctor looked up at him in shock, eyes wide. 

‘Missy.’

 

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I do have a medical background but all the stuff about healing comas and the Zero room comes fron the TARDIS wiki website! I recommend it, you can get super lost on there! 
> 
> It does get a bit squeamish later on in this chapter, you'll see what I mean. 
> 
> Also there are scenes where Missy isn't quite so much of a bitch to Twelve in the show so I've tried to write her a bit softer, but also tried to reflect her character? Thank you so much to everyone who's said I'm nailing it so far 😂😂 I'm so glad!

‘Where are we?’ Yaz asked, looking around her. ‘I feel like we’re in a metal pyramid.’

After agreeing to help them, Missy had asked Ryan to carry the Doctor and had just led them through a labyrinth of corridors into a part of the TARDIS that Yaz was sure she’d never been in before. The door she’d opened was bland and unassuming but inside was a pyramid-shaped room bathed in soft blue lighting, circular disks on the wall humming softly. There was a cupboard in the room and a bed but nothing else, no cosy home comforts or furnishings besides those two items.

‘This is the Zero Room,’ Missy said, gesturing for Ryan to lay the Doctor down on the bed in the centre of the room. ‘All TARDIS’s have one. They’re cut off from random electrical and radiological influences of the rest of the universe. Completely calm, completely soundproof. Time Lords use this room following difficult regenerations, or for neurological healing because it induces a trance-like state. Excellent for healing. I use mine for plotting evil schemes, it’s great for concentration.’

‘And that will save the Doc?’ Graham asked. ‘What about medicine? Surely you lot must need the old painkiller every now and then.’

‘Painkillers are an antiquated concept in most of the universe,’ Missy scoffed. ‘Time Lords heal through the use of healing comas, much more efficient.’ 

She opened the cupboard and began to pull out piles of blankets, gesturing for Yaz to help her cover the Doctor up in them until they were up to her chin, though she chose to leave her wound exposed. She looked tiny bundled up in them, and Yaz saw Ryan staring down at his t-shirt, now coated in the Doctor’s blood, holding it away from himself as though unsure what to do with it.

‘She’s not able to put herself into one, again because she’s  _ dead,’  _ Missy continued. ‘So I’m going to have to give her a bit of a push. Honestly I have no idea what’s going to happen, I’m not sure if there’s enough of her even left in there. I might end up bringing her back as a zombie, now wouldn’t that be fun?’

She sat on the edge of the bed and carefully put her hands either side of the Doctor’s face again, closing her eyes.

‘Come on then, let's be having you. You must be in there somewhere.’

The Doctor said nothing, eyes still shut, face still pale, completely limp and unresponsive and it took a few minutes of silent concentration before Missy started to grimace, beads of sweat appearing on her forehead.

‘What’s going on?’ Ryan asked.

‘She’s stuck,’ Missy replied, eyes still shut, face furrowed in concentration. ‘I can feel her, I think, but she’s stuck and I can’t pull her out.’

‘Stuck where?’ asked Graham, eyes flicking from Missy to the Doctor’s face. 

‘Music,’ Missy said, face tilted to the side, although the three humans got the distinct impression that she wasn’t talking to them anymore. ‘I can hear music.’

‘Oi! Stop ignoring me!’ she said suddenly. ‘Stop flirting with flyboy and listen carefully, I’m trying to help you.’

‘We’re not ignoring you?’ Ryan said, confused.

‘Flyboy?’ Graham said, also confused.

‘Flirting?’ was Yaz’s contribution, well beyond confused.

‘Hold on,’ Missy said, eyes screwed tightly shut. ‘I thiiiiink I might be able to…’

Then she went completely still, face relaxed as though she was meditating, hands still gently holding the Doctor’s face.

‘Um, Missy?’ Yaz tried waving a hand in front of her face, but didn't get a response.

‘What do you think she’s doing?’ Ryan asked, his hand finding the Doctor’s under her mountain of blankets and squeezing gently.

Yaz dropped a hand into their friend’s hair and gently ran her fingers through the unruly blonde locks, fingers pressing against the pulse point in the Doctor’s neck, although she knew she’d find nothing.

‘I think she’s trying to talk to her,’ Graham said thoughtfully, watching the two unmoving Time Ladies carefully, as though he was expecting one of them to suddenly move and jump out at him.

‘But she said the Doctor was-’

Ryan trailed off, but Yaz and Graham knew what the end of his sentence would have been. 

‘She said the Doctor was “stuck” somewhere,’ Yaz remembered. ‘Stuck where?’

‘She was probably on her way to heaven or wherever but got distracted by a cat,’ Ryan said.

‘Or a big apple-bobbing barrel!’ Graham joined in.

‘Or custard creams!’

‘Or rainbows!’

‘I think I get the gist,’ Yaz said, smiling despite herself. ‘I hope she puts whatever it is down though. I want her to come home now.’

‘I know, love,’ Graham said, a hand on her shoulder. ‘So do we.’

* * *

‘Where are we?’ Missy asked, looking around in confusion, disorientated after the vacuum pull she’d experienced reaching the Doctor. ‘Is this the -’

She turned to look at the Doctor, eyebrow raised, shocked, expression mirroring her friend’s. ‘How on  _ earth  _ did you end up here? I didn't think this place even existed!’

‘I... lost a sock,’ the Doctor replied, too stunned to say anything else. 

Missy had materialised in the middle of the dance floor in a flash of white light but Jack was looking at the Doctor with confusion.

‘Who are you talking to?’ he asked the Doctor, who in turn furrowed her eyebrows at Missy.

‘Oh I’m not actually here,’ Missy said. ‘I’m on the TARDIS with your pets, just popped into your head to see if you’re salvageable.’

‘You’re  _ where?!’ _

‘You mentioned a Missy? Who’s Missy?’ Jack asked. 

Wordlessly, the Doctor held her hand out and gripped Jack’s arm, curious to see that her touch telepathy still worked when his eyes widened at the sight of Missy stood in front of them, looking thoughtfully around the room. 

‘Oh, hi,’ he said.

‘Captain Jack Harkness,’ Missy said, sauntering up to him with swaying hips. ‘Fancy seeing you here.’

‘Wait, have we met?’ Jack asked, looking her up and down.

‘Why are you on the TARDIS?’ the Doctor asked, panicked. ‘How did you even know where the TARDIS was? How are you even here? What is going on?’

‘Hush, dear, before you burst something,’ Missy said, a finger on the Doctor’s lips to cut off her ramblings. She smiled sweetly at her and took a step back, opening her arms wide. ‘You asked me for help. Your sweet little northern voice popped into my head saying “help me, help me, I’ve done something idiotic and I need my bestie to come rescue me”.’

‘What about my friends?’ the Doctor asked suddenly, eyes wide. ‘What have you done to them?’

_ ‘Nothing,’  _ Missy said, a shocked expression on her face. ‘I’m hurt you would even ask me that.’

‘You locked Clara into a Dalek and tried to make me  _ shoot her.’ _

‘She could have opened her casing at any time, as demonstrated when she did just that.’

‘I’m confused,’ Jack said, looking between the two of them. ‘How does she know me? Is this a timey-wimey thing?’

‘Timey-wimey?’ Missy laughed. ‘How old are you, five? Although, judging from the outfit…’

‘Hey!’

‘Your t-shirt and coat are ruined, by the way,’ Missy added. ‘You know, back in the land of the living. Great big scorch mark through it.’

‘Doctor?’ Jack asked, cautiously. ‘What’s going on? Who is this?’

‘Don’t you recognise me?’ Missy said simperingly. ‘I’m hurt, Captain. We spent a wonderful year together.’

Comprehension dawned on Jack’s face and the Doctor found herself gritting her teeth at the sudden swell of anger she felt flowing from him, gripping his arm tighter.

‘Don’t forget, you said violence wasn’t allowed here,’ she muttered to him. 

‘You’re the Master,’ he said, quietly.

‘At your service.’ Missy gave a mock bow and the Doctor found herself pulling Jack back behind her when he started to step forwards.

‘No-one else can see her,’ she told him. ‘It’s just me and you and it looks like we’re talking to empty space so we’re getting a lot of weird looks right now.’

‘It’s quite alright, Doctor,’ Missy said, pushing up her hair a little. ‘I have that effect on men, and women.’ She winked.

She flickered suddenly and shook her head as though she was trying to focus, forehead creased in concentration.

‘I’m running out of time,’ she said, looking up at the Doctor. ‘You’re fading too fast. Listen carefully. I’m going to force you to go into a healing coma.’

‘How? Healing comas don’t work on the dead!’

‘If you were truly dead, you wouldn’t be here, would you?’ Missy asked as though this should have been obvious. ‘I’m going to have to try and restart one of your hearts, keep you alive long enough to heal yourself.’

_ ‘How?’ _

‘I’m a genius!’ Missy said, hurt. ‘I’ll think of something. I don’t know what will happen to you in the meantime. It’s going to have to be quite a deep coma. I’ll have to lower your body temperature quite significantly so you might get a bit chilly as well.’

‘Missy.’

The Doctor stepped forward and took Missy’s hand in hers, squeezing it tightly, Jack staring at her as though she’d lost her mind. 

‘I don’t know where we are in our timeline,’ she said, her voice soft. ‘Or why you think you owe me this, but please. I’m dead. Let me die.’

‘The last I saw you I’d just abandoned you on a battlefield,’ Missy said quietly, and the Doctor froze.

‘Sounds about right,’ Jack muttered.

‘I was going back for you,’ she said immediately, reaching for the Doctor’s face with her other hand. ‘I swear, I was. I told the other me that it was time to stand with you and he shot me in the back like an  _ asshole. _ ’

‘The other you… wait, you killed  _ yourself?’  _ Jack asked, beyond confused at this point.

‘Missy…’

‘No. You listen to me,’ Missy said, squeezing her hand tightly. ‘I made a mistake. I should have stayed with you from the start, I shouldn’t have let that eyeliner-wearing idiot try and dictate my actions but I did and I’ve suffered with that decision ever since I woke up on the ground and you were gone. Don’t ask me how I survived, I honestly have no idea. But when I heard you calling to me, even if you didn't mean to, I realised the universe had given me another chance and I couldn’t refuse.’

The Doctor said nothing, though her eyes were bright and swollen with unshed tears.

‘Please,’ Missy said, running a thumb over her cheek. ‘Let me redeem myself, let me try and save you. Let me prove to you that I’m your friend again.’

She flickered again and she frowned, looking down at their conjoined hands as she began to fade.

‘Need an answer,’ she said quickly. ‘Telepathy only lasts for a minimal amount of time once someone’s died, you should know that.’

‘Okay,’ the Doctor said quietly. ‘If you think you can, save me.’

* * *

Missy gasped and stumbled backwards, landing hard on the floor, the three humans already rushing forwards to help her but she waved them off.

‘Get away, I’m fine. Just a bit unfocused. I’ve just been inside a dead person’s mind it knocks the skittles out of you a little bit.’

She rubbed her face and blinked heavily a few times, taking a deep breath in and out.

‘Did it work?’ Yaz asked. ‘Did you find her?’

‘Yes, I did,’ Missy said, grudgingly accepting Ryan’s hand to help her stand. ‘She’s agreed to let me give this a go, but we better move fast before she moves on. Right, I need one of you to stick your hands in her chest.’

Confused silence followed that statement.

‘Quickly!’ Missy said, grabbing Yaz and pulling her towards the Doctor’s body. ‘I need mine free to start the healing process and you have small hands. Right, stick your hand in that frankly  _ massive  _ hole in her chest and start pumping one of her hearts. I’ll give her a teeny bit of regeneration energy to get it going again but it’ll need a kickstart.’

‘She’s not a car,’ Graham protested, as Yaz grimly rolled her sleeves up. As much as she wanted to protest the grizzly task she’d been assigned, she understood that, as mad as Missy was, she was their only chance. 

‘In this instance, yes she is,’ Missy told him. ‘Right, ready small-hands?’

‘It’s Yaz,’ Yaz replied, closing her eyes and trying to push down the feeling of nausea that was swelling up inside her and the sensation of one of the Doctor’s hearts  _ literally  _ between her fingers.

‘Right, here goes nothing then,’ Missy said. ‘Start pumping.’

Yaz did so, focusing on the Doctor’s face and trying  _ really hard  _ not to think about where her hand was right at that moment.

‘You could have at least bought her dinner first, Yaz,’ Graham said, trying to lighten the mood.

‘What’s that?’ Ryan asked, staring at the soft golden glow around Missy’s fingertips.

‘Were you not paying attention when I explained my brilliant plan a moment ago?’ she told him, eyes closed again as the golden whisps sank into the Doctor’s skin. ‘This is regeneration energy, it’s what we use to heal ourselves. Or what we  _ would  _ use if we weren’t dumb enough to get a hole in the chest. She doesn’t need much, just enough to get her heart started again. Small-hands, in a second you’re going to feel her heart pumping on its own but don’t stop, keep going for another few minutes until we’re sure it’s working properly, just match the beats. We don’t need both going, I think that would be too overwhelming for her body, we’ll start off slow with just the one.’

Yaz nodded, too focused to protest her irritating new nickname and, a few moments later, began to feel the first tentative beats of the Doctor’s heart between her fingers, the muscle beating slowly, unsure of itself.

‘Keep going,’ Missy said, face strained, hands either side of the Doctor’s face again, concentrating hard. 

It took a few moments, but soon ice began to form on the Doctor’s skin, starting in the centre of her chest and branching out until she was coated in it, her hair frozen, frost hanging from her eyelashes.

‘What are you doing?’ Ryan asked quietly. 

‘I’m lowering her body temperature to preserve her higher brain functions, or what’s left of them,’ Missy explained, eyes still shut. ‘Now her heart is beating again I can force the coma. Keep going small-hands, don’t stop until I tell you.’ 

Yaz’s hand was beginning to feel cold but the Doctor’s heart didn't falter, if anything it got stronger and stronger between her fingers until eventually Missy pulled away, exhausted, and indicated with a wave of her hand that Yaz could withdraw her fingers, cold and blue as she tucked them into her pocket to warm her hand up.

Missy put a hand on the Doctor’s chest, feeling for the heartbeat, then nodded. 

‘Alright. Heart pumping, temperature down, body in a healing coma. That’s the best we can do for the time being. Keep her covered in the blankets, I’ll be back in a bit.’

‘Why? Where are you going?’ Graham asked. 

Missy collapsed over the Doctor’s frozen body.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Getting the skittles knocked out of you is a quote from Inspector Gadget (the movie with Matthew Broderick) where the car literally got the skittles dispenser knocked out of it. It's a great movie. The car talks.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this chapter is shorter and was harder to write cause I wanted a bit of softness while also attempting to further the plot! 
> 
> The next chapter will be longer and may be the last one :)

It was quiet in the bar, the majority of the occupants relaxing on sofas with drinks ready for that evening’s meal and entertainment, the stars shining brightly through the glass ceiling above them. The only sounds were of gentle talking and the clink of glasses from behind the bar, the atmosphere relaxed and gentle after the frenzied dancing of earlier.

The Doctor, after shivering violently for a couple of hours, was asleep on the sofa in front of the fire wrapped in several blankets and Jack’s coat, head resting against Jack’s shoulder while the other man occupied himself by playing Solitaire on his vortex manipulator, grateful he’d thought to install some games on there.

Truth be told, he was a bit confused. He didn't quite remember how he’d been killed on this occasion, although he had an inkling he may have been shot, but he never stayed in the bar for this long; coming back to life pretty soon after dying was the standard. He fancied it was some kind of spiritual task he’d been given, looking after the Doctor while she transitioned back to the land of the living, though he was also entertaining the possibility that maybe he hadn’t been shot and it was something that took a little longer to heal, like getting blown up. 

He looked down at the woman asleep on him, trying not to make it obvious that he was admiring her. Her lashes were long, features soft, and it was impossible for him to ignore the fact that she was extremely attractive. He wondered what it would be like to kiss her, before accepting that she’d probably smack him if he tried. Her ninth incarnation hadn’t seemed to mind though, although it was the end of the world at the time. More or less.

‘Stop staring at me,’ came a quiet mumble from his shoulder, and Jack tucked an arm around her to pull her closer, feeling the shivers through the blankets. It had been surprising how many of the aliens in the room had offered their blankets when they saw the Time Lord sat shaking on the sofa, unable to warm herself up. Perhaps death had made them realise that there was no point in holding grudges anymore.

‘Never,’ he replied, dropping a kiss into her hair. That was instinctive, more than anything, but she didn't seem to mind, and he was reasonably surprised to see that this incarnation was cuddlier this time around. 

‘You still cold?’ he asked softy, but she was asleep again and he went back to playing Solitaire. There were so many questions he wanted to ask her, mainly relating to the Master, but when  _ Missy  _ had first started the process her teeth had been chattering so hard she couldn’t speak, and she’d been bent forward clutching at her chest in pain. She seemed calmer now, more relaxed, but he could still feel the tremors through the layers she had over her and decided it might be best to let her rest for the time being.

* * *

It was warm in the Zero room, despite the frost and ice covering their friend, and Yaz shuffled closer to the Doctor’s bed in her chair, book balanced precariously on her lap. Ryan and Graham had assigned themselves the grizzly task of cleaning the Doctor’s blood off the floor of the console room, and Missy had declared a craving for pancakes when she’d woken up and, judging by the bump indicating the ship had landed, was probably terrorising the employees of an IHOP or somewhere similar.

Yaz adjusted the blanket over the Doctor for the thousandth time, making sure she was completely covered and tucked into the soft material. She was completely coated in ice, as though frozen in an icy coffin, and there was a small screen inside one of the strange circles on the wall displaying the Doctor’s lifesigns. It had proven to be more alarming than reassuring so Yaz had muted it, that steady singular beat when there should be two proving too distracting for her. 

‘She has literally no idea you’re here, you know,’ Missy said from the doorway, chewing noisily on a pancake and getting syrup all over the floor. ‘You could get a brass band in here and she wouldn’t notice.’ 

‘Maybe I’m just in here for my sake then,’ Yaz said, not bothering to look up at her. 

Missy perched on the edge of the Doctor’s bed, licking the syrup off her fingers and fiddling with the controls on the screen. 

‘So what’s going on with you two then?’ she asked absentmindedly, gesturing between Yaz and the Doctor with a lazy finger. ‘Not that I care, I just want some material to tease her with when she wakes up. You know, in case she doesn’t die. Well, die any more than she already has of course _.’  _

‘Who  _ are  _ you?’ Yaz asked, peering at her cautiously. ‘Because the Doctor’s never mentioned you but you said you grew up together?’

‘Oh yes,’ Missy said cheerily. ‘Thick as thieves we were. Used to run through the fields of wheat on our planet back home, the epitome of British naughtiness.’

She winked at Yaz, and Yaz felt a smile tugging at the corner of her lips despite herself. 

‘We were best friends when we were children,’ Missy said, and Yaz didn't miss the touch of sadness in her voice as she put her hand on the frozen Doctor’s head. 

‘What happened?’ Yaz asked, quietly.

Missy shrugged and slumped down into the other armchair in the room, legs up and heeled boots resting on the edge of the Doctor’s bed.

‘What always happens, dear,’ she said. ‘I went mad.’

‘Is that common on your planet?’ Yaz asked. ‘Do people just… go mad?’

‘Well there’s a little more to it than that,’ Missy said, waving her hands around. ‘But basically, yes. They do. Mad from boredom most of the time, the Time Lords are so terribly  _ dull.’ _

‘Time Lords?’ Yaz asked, confused. ‘You said that before.’

‘Has she not told you what race she is?’ Missy asked, eyebrow raised. ‘She loves doing that usually. Makes a big song and dance about it. “I’m the Doctor, I’m a Time Lord and I can deadlift 1000 tons. Watch me rescue this kitten from a burning building and then I’m going to bench press 50 elephants just because I can”.’

The voice Missy put on reminded Yaz of the wrestling announcers she’d seen clips of and she found herself laughing, a smirk on Missy’s face before she groaned dramatically.

‘I never used to be like this, you know,’ Missy complained. ‘Not so long ago I would have killed the three of you by now. I must be getting old.’

‘I’m kind of glad to hear that, to be honest,’ Yaz said. 

On the screen, a second  _ blip  _ appeared and Missy raised an eyebrow in surprise. 

‘My word,’ she said. ‘Looks like blondie here may not pop her clogs after all.’

‘Is that…?’

‘Yes, her second heart appears to have kicked back in again.’

Missy knelt over the Doctor, pulling the blankets away from her chest to inspect the wound in her side. Whilst it was still nasty and open, it had shrunk considerably and was now half the size it had been. 

‘She’s healing herself,’ Yaz said in awe.

‘Well yes,’ Missy said, rolling her eyes. ‘The clue is rather in the name, isn’t it.  _ Healing  _ coma.’

‘Everything alright?’ Graham asked, standing anxiously in the doorway with Ryan. The younger man had changed his shirt and the two men looked tired and worried.

‘Yeah, I think it is,’ Yaz said, hardly daring to hope. ‘What do we do now?’

‘Now,’ Missy said, hands either side of the Doctor’s face again. ‘We can start defrosting her. Grab some towels, this is gonna get messy.’

‘Is she gonna be alright? You know, up here.’ Graham tapped his head to indicate his meaning. ‘Only I had an uncle who came out of a coma with the mentality of a 2 year old. Granted, he wasn’t an alien but the risk is still there, surely?’

‘I would argue she has the mentality of a 2 year old already,’ Missy said. ‘But, to be honest, I don’t know. Healing comas of  _ this  _ severity are rarely attempted, regeneration is viewed as preferable but obviously in this instance that isn’t an option. So we’ll have to see.’ 

* * *

The Doctor blinked herself awake, brain foggy as she took a moment to get her bearings. That awful, gripping coldness that she’d felt earlier had gone and now she was warm and cosy, buried under a mountain of blankets and pressed against a warm body. The sofa she was lying on was soft and she could hear the crackling of a fire and feel its heat warming her. The body next to her shifted slightly and the Doctor frowned, wondering if she was in the TARDIS library.

‘Yaz?’

‘Who?’

The Doctor opened her eyes to see Jack peering down at her. Oh. Right. 

‘You awake? They’re about to serve dinner. Although “dinner” is probably the wrong word. It’s snacks really, always fills me up though. You hungry?’

She looked up at Jack’s inquisitive face, his kind eyes looking down at her. Throughout her lifetime, across billions and stars and galaxies, Jack was the only other person who had eyes as old as she did. Except, perhaps, Missy. 

‘Uh, yeah,’ she mumbled, pushing herself upright, a hand automatically going to her chest with a frown.

‘Everything alright?’ Jack asked, watching her cautiously. ‘Who’s Yaz?’

‘Friend of mine,’ she replied, stretching her arms above her head. ‘How long was I asleep for?’

‘Couple of hours,’ Jack said. 

‘So is it possible to sleep here?’

‘Yeah, although I think it’s more because it’s familiar rather than you actually need to do it,’ Jack said, getting off the sofa and holding out a hand to her. ‘Same with the food. Not eating would be weird.’ 

‘This place is bizarre,’ the Doctor muttered, taking the offered hand and straightening her clothes. ‘Where do the musicians come from?’

‘Everyone here, from the waiters to the bar staff to the musicians, are like us. They’ve ended up here either because they don’t have an afterlife of their own to go to, or they’re waiting judgement, or they’re in comas, and so on so on. Speaking of, how’s Missy getting on?’

The Doctor didn't miss Jack’s bitter tone, but she did choose to ignore it as her hand unconsciously went to her side again, feeling for the injury that wasn’t there. She still remembered the blinding pain of it, the burning that spread throughout her chest, the feeling of Ryan’s arms wrapped around her, of Yaz’s hands in hers, of Graham’s hand on her shoulder. She remembered it all, but it felt far away, as though it was a distant dream or memory just beyond her reach.

‘I’m not sure,’ she said. ‘It’s weird, I feel disconnected. I’m warmer again now so she must have got my hearts working and is defrosting me.’ 

‘And she’s the Master, reincarnated in female form. Like you.’

‘Yes,’ the Doctor replied, tone guarded. 

They were sat at the long table where plates of food were being served and Jack grabbed a plate of chicken nuggets for them to share, eating the food silently until eventually the Doctor sighed, put her nugget down, leaned back in her chair and gave him a look.

‘Spit it out,’ she said. 

‘Spit what out?’

‘Don’t play cute, Jack. It doesn’t suit you as much as you think it does.’ 

Jack looked slightly affronted at that comment, but he shoved another chicken nugget in his mouth and spoke around it.

‘Isn’t she evil?’

‘Missy? Course she is. She’s the Master.’

‘Then why are you trusting her?’

The Doctor sighed and pulled at the ends of her hair. ‘It’s complicated.’

‘We could be here a while,’ Jack shrugged, pouring himself a glass of something green and downing it in one go.

‘She was… better. She was starting to - not turn good - but be less evil.’

Jack raised an eyebrow and the Doctor threw her hands up in the hair.

‘Like I said, complicated. And hard to explain.’ 

‘So you two are friends again now.’

The Doctor looked far away suddenly, and he could see years of hurt in her eyes, the corners of her mouth pulled downwards as she frowned.

‘I thought… for a second that maybe…’ She shook her head, fingers tugging at the edge of her coat. ‘I think she’s betrayed me too many times now for it to matter.’ 

‘I’m sorry,’ Jack said quietly. 

She looked up at him quizzically, eyebrow raised.

‘What for?’

Jack took one of her hands, looking down at it as he ran his thumb gently over her palm. ‘I know that you two grew up together, it must be hard.’ 

She shrugged and reached for a glass of the green drink Jack had tried. ‘It’s not like I didn't see it coming. It’s like I said before, you look into the Untempered Schism and it changes you. Not always for the better, either. As proven by Missy.’

She reached for another chicken nugget and froze, looking down at her hand. It looked almost translucent and she shook it quickly. When she flexed her fingers again, the skin was solid and firm and Jack took it and raised it to his mouth to kiss the back of her hand gently.

‘Looks like, despite her evil ways, Missy is actually succeeding in saving you.’

‘What was that?’

‘I’ve seen it before, when people wake up. It’s like they fade away, drift off back into the land of the living.’

‘She’s actually doing it.’ The Doctor was staring at her hand, wriggling her fingers as though expecting it to happen again. 

‘Looks like it,’ Jack agreed. ‘You’ll be out of here in no time.’

He stood up and held his hand out to her. ‘Fancy another dance before you go? Hopefully we won’t get interrupted by evil Time Ladies this time around.’

The Doctor smiled, and took his hand.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YouTube 'Theresa May - fields of wheat'. Any excuse to take the piss out the PM


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this is short but the next chapter is coming soon! :D

It was difficult to tell what time it was in the Zero room, although the Doctor always insisted that time was relative whenever her three friends were trying to work out if it was bedtime or lunchtime or early morning. Certainly in a time machine it didn't seem to matter, and the three humans simply went to bed whenever they felt tired and ate whenever they felt hungry. This wasn’t always the best strategy, as it turned out, as Yaz had been unable to fall asleep until 4am on a recent trip home and Graham realised he’d been unknowingly having his breakfast at 3 in the morning.

If Yaz had to guess the time she’d say it was early morning, perhaps 5 or 6am, almost 24 hours after the Doctor’s initial injury. The three humans were all in the Zero room with her, the TARDIS having helpfully produced more chairs for them to lounge around in, and Yaz was dozing in her chair, listening to Graham and Ryan talk about something quietly beside her. There was a stillness in the air, a hush of anticipation, like the quiet in a theatre when the house lights went down and the performance was about to begin.

‘She’s warm again,’ Ryan said, a hand on the Doctor’s forehead. She was no longer coated in ice and Yaz and Missy had put her in clean, dry clothes once the frost had melted and left her dripping wet. She was breathing softly, chest rising and falling gently and Missy poked again at the wound in her side, the hole left by the blast almost completely healed, not even scar tissue remaining. On the monitor, her hearts were beating in a stable rhythm and Missy seemed pleased with the ECG, double checking with her hand pressed against the Doctor’s chest.

‘We can probably start waking her up soon,’ Missy mused. ‘Once this has healed over anyway. Waking her up now probably isn’t the best idea, her mind needs time to repair itself as well. Unless we want her to wake up neighing like a horse, which would be interesting I suppose.’

‘How long will that be?’ Graham asked, yawning into his hand.

‘Another couple of hours, give or take.’

‘I might hit the hay for a quick nap then,’ Graham said, Ryan standing up to join him.

‘Yeah, me too. What about you, Yaz?’

‘I’ll keep an eye on her,’ Yaz said, book back in her lap again.

‘I told you, she doesn’t know you’re here,’ Missy said with a roll of her eyes.

‘And I didn't specify which “her” I was referring to,’ Yaz snarked back.

‘Oooh.’

‘Try not to kill each other while we’re gone, yeah?’ Graham said, leaving the room with Ryan. Yaz heard him mutter ‘how do we get back to the bedrooms?’ once they were outside the room.

‘So, you’ve got the hots for her then,’ Missy said, sitting neatly on the side of the Doctor’s bed with her legs crossed, looking for all the world like a teenager at a sleepover about to get some tasty gossip.

‘She’s my friend,’ Yaz replied.

‘She’s mine too, but I still left her to go and get pancakes,’ Missy said, eyebrow raised. ‘Course I was exhausted, the old blood sugar was a bit on the low side. Speaking of, I hope you’ve got the kitchen cupboards stocked up. Healing yourself requires a _lot_ of energy. Especially considering she was dead beforehand. She’s probably going to eat everything.’

‘About what Graham said…’

‘Who’s Graham?’

Yaz decided to ignore that question, knowing Missy probably wouldn’t remember even if she did offer a description.

‘Graham was worried about her mental state, whether she’ll come out of it with the mind of a two year old. Is that actually a concern?’

‘I don’t know dear,’ Missy said, Scottish again. ‘I guess it’ll just have to be a nice surprise.’

Behind them, the Doctor’s face twisted into a frown and Yaz sat forward to grab her hand while Missy put an experimental hand on her forehead, listening for her.

‘She’s waking up,’ Missy said, looking alarmed.

‘I thought you said…’

‘I know what I said.’

Missy closed her eyes, concentrating.

‘Come on, back to sleep,’ she mumbled quietly.

Yaz lifted the edge of the blanket to look at the Doctor’s wound while Missy silently willed their friend to not wake up yet, to continue to stay asleep and let her body heal. The wound was the same size as Yaz’s fist now, the skin around it pink and new, and the Doctor mumbled and fidgeted under her blankets, face furrowed, hands clenched at her sides.

‘Back to sleep, back to sleep,’ Missy said softly like a mantra, jaw set in determination with her hands on the Doctor’s face. ‘Come on, stop fighting me.’

Eventually the Doctor stilled and Missy pulled away, her face grey.

‘I won’t be able to do that next time,’ she said, whipping out a handkerchief from her pocket and wiping her sweaty forehead. ‘Next time she tries to wake up she better be all healed.’

‘What would happen if she isn’t?’ Yaz asked, squeezing the Doctor’s hand tightly.

‘She’ll be in a lot of pain,’ Missy said, gently lifting one of the Doctor’s eyelids to shine a small penlight into the eye, frowning and tapping the light against her palm.

‘Is there anything we can do to keep her asleep?’ Yaz asked, worried. ‘Are there any drugs or…?’

Missy rolled her eyes. ‘You lot and your obsession with drugs isn’t healthy. What’s wrong with a nice bedtime story or a singsong?’

* * *

‘You okay now?’ Jack asked, a hand on the Doctor’s back as she straightened up again, panting slightly.

‘Yeah, I think so. Ow. Owowowow.’

‘Looks like you’re waking up,’ Jack said, looking worried.

‘I can’t be, it’s too soon, I’m not healed yet,’ the Doctor said, a hand on her side. ‘I can _feel_ where the wound was and it’s better but it still hurts.’

‘What can I do?’

‘To stop me waking up?’ the Doctor shrugged helplessly. ‘Not a clue, it’s not like I’ve ever been in this situation before.’

She bent over again, a sharp cry escaping her lips, and Jack took her hand and led her through the throng of people to a large black door. He pushed it open and the two of them stepped outside into the ethereal quiet, the rich, vibrant colours of a nebula swirling around them. It was silent out here, but beautiful, and the lights of the nebula and the stars reflected in the Doctor’s eyes as she gazed around in wonder, the secret pockets of the universe never ceasing to amaze and astonish her.

The Doctor turned around to see where they had come from but there was nothing behind them, no door, no ship, only the endless expense of the cosmos and the swirling lights that surrounded them.

‘It’s still there, the door I mean,’ Jack said, reaching out a hand flat against nothing, the black edges of the doorframe starting to come into view, disappearing immediately when he withdrew his hand. ‘This is for people who need a break, who need to get away from everything for a bit. You can’t wander off too far, but it’s a nice spot for a contemplative moment.’

‘Thanks,’ the Doctor said softly. ‘For everything, I mean. Not just this’ - she gestured around them - ‘but for being here with me, for looking after me, for explaining everything.’

‘Anything for you, Doctor,’ Jack said with a sad smile, and she looked up at him, eyes full of regret.

‘I know I haven’t always been the greatest friend to you, especially considering you’ve always been there for me, but I am so lucky to know you, Jack. And I’m so grateful.’

She flickered again, skin almost transparent for a moment against the colours of the nebula, and Jack put a hand on her shoulder.

‘Come find me, when you wake up. Promise me.’

The Doctor smiled and nodded, and Jack hugged her tightly.

* * *

‘Alright, time for a little prayer,’ Missy said apprehensively, standing at the head of the Doctor’s bed and carefully holding her face again, the three humans gathered around the bottom, Yaz and Graham holding a hand each and Ryan holding her foot as they watched Missy concentrate.

‘Come on then,’ the Time Lady said carefully. ‘Out you come.’

* * *

 

The Doctor flickered again, but didn't reform and began to fade, looking down at her hands as they became translucent and almost invisible.

‘Looks like you’re off,’ Jack said with a smile. ‘Good luck, Doctor.’

‘What are you doing?’ the Doctor asked, curious as Jack pulled away but kept their fronts pressed against each other, looking down at her cautiously.

‘Just… let me. Please.’

Jack gently put his hands on her waist and leaned down slowly, so she’d have time to realise what was happening and pull away in time if she so chose. Her eyes went wide before they slid shut and she met him halfway, lips soft and gentle against his, hands gripping the collar of his coat.

He kissed her slowly, one hand tangling in her hair as she began to fade from view, until she’d disappeared completely and he was left standing on his own in the vast expanse of space.

 

 


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I did say the last chapter would be up soon! 
> 
> Thank you so much to everyone who has stuck with me through this story (and the writer's block I had this past week!!) Everyone's lovely comments kept me going so thank you so much ❤️❤️
> 
> I hope the last chapter doesn't disappoint!

The Doctor opened her eyes.

‘Doc!’

‘Hey!’

‘Doctor?’

‘Shut up! Give her a second to adjust before you pigeons start cooing in her ear.’

‘I’m not a pigeon!’ Ryan protested.

‘You’re all pigeons to me, dear,’ Missy replied with a roll of her eyes. ‘Not the nice ones either like carrier pigeons, the grubby ones you find on the streets that poo on everything.’

‘Missy?’

The Doctor blinked up at her, eyes narrowed, expression confused. 

Missy patted her cheek. ‘Hello, blondie.’

She frowned and tried to sit up but Missy firmly kept her lying flat with her hands on her shoulders. 

‘Don’t even think about moving. Do you even know where you are right now?’ 

The Doctor’s eyes roamed the ceiling and what she could see of the walls, her frown intensifying when she recognised the circular disks on the wall and the lack of any noise at all.

‘Zero room.’

‘Good. Who are these three?’ she gestured towards the three humans stood standing around her,  worried expressions on their faces.

The Doctor opened her mouth but no sound came out and she instead laid there gawking at them, her friends slowly starting to realise that she didn't recognise them or know who they were, their expressions miserable and dejected.

‘Doc, it’s us,’ Graham said quietly.

‘Give her time,’ Missy told them firmly. ‘Don’t push her.’

‘She knows you though, that’s good, right?’ Ryan said.

‘For reference, our friendship is older than Christianity,’ Missy informed him, an arm around the Doctor’s shoulders helping her to sit up on the edge of the bed. 

‘Right, basic stuff first,’ Missy said, standing in front of her. ‘What’s “Missy” short for?’

‘Mistress.’

‘Short for…?’

‘Master.’

‘I’m confused,’ Graham mumbled quietly to the other two humans. 

‘Planet of origin?’

‘Gallifrey.’

‘Say something in Gallifreyan.’

The Doctor mumbled something that was unlike anything Yaz, Graham or Ryan had ever heard before. Something ancient and musical, lilting and soft yet simultaneously powerful and loud. 

‘Now I can see where the TARDIS gets it from,’ Missy said, slapping the Doctor’s arm lightly. ‘Watch your language. Most annoying thing I’ve ever done to you?’

‘I have to pick one?!’

‘Good enough. Now look at her and try again. Don’t push yourself, just say the first thing that comes into your head, doesn’t need to be a name.’

Missy gestured towards Yaz and the Doctor turned to look at her, eyes narrowed as she concentrated. 

‘Space buns.’ 

Ryan and Graham fell about laughing and even Yaz grinned, although she couldn’t stop the tears that were threatening to fall down her cheeks at the knowledge that her friend may have forgotten their time together. 

The Doctor’s face fell when she saw Yaz crying silently and she reached out her arms for Yaz to practically run into. 

‘Of course I know who you are, Ryan,’ she said softly, hugging her tightly. ‘I’m only teasing.’

‘I’m Yaz!’ Yaz cried, pulling back in dismay, only to be met with the Doctor’s bright grin and shining eyes. She punched the Doctor on the arm before flinging her arms around her again, Missy rolling her eyes from the doorway. 

‘So, you’re okay now, right, Doc?’ Graham asked uncertainly. 

‘Not sure,’ the Doctor replied, pulling up her shirt to inspect the healed wound on her chest. ‘How did it look before?’

‘Messy,’ Ryan said, pulling a face. ‘We could see your organs.’

‘Yeah, been meaning to ask you about that, Doc,’ Graham said with a frown. ‘Don’t you lot have lungs?’

‘No,’ the Doctor replied absentmindedly, poking at the skin on her chest. Then she pulled a face and looked at him in disgust. ‘You could see that much of my chest?’

‘It was  _ grim _ ,’ Ryan informed her. ‘I feel sorry for poor Yaz.’

‘Why?’ the Doctor asked, frowning. 

‘Cause she had to stick her hand in your-’

‘That’s enough!’ Missy interjected quickly when the Doctor’s mouth fell open, suddenly realising what the version of Missy that had invaded her subconscious had meant when she’d said  _ I’m going to have to try and restart one of your hearts. _

‘You made Yaz do what?!’

‘You’re alive aren’t you?’

‘It’s alright, Doctor,’ Yaz said softly, hand finding her friend’s and squeezing lightly. ‘I’m just glad you’re alive.’ 

The Doctor sagged suddenly, falling back against the side of the bed and Graham and Ryan stepped forward to grab her and gently sit her down on it, Missy immediately shooing them away and grabbing the Doctor’s wrist to check her pulses.

‘You’re fine,’ she announced after a few seconds. ‘You just need to- where did you get that??’

The Doctor was already snacking on a granola bar and she pointed at Ryan who shrugged. 

‘You said she’d want to eat everything when she woke up,’ he pointed out. ‘I stocked up.’

* * *

The TARDIS was humming softly under her hands as the Doctor carefully secured the new light to the roof of the police box, the blue shining brilliantly in the darkness of space, only illuminated by the stars around her. Her friends were all asleep and had encouraged her to do the same, but the Doctor had had enough of resting and she’d been putting off changing the bulb for ages now. If River was there she would have gone mental. As it was, after trying and failing to fall asleep, she was now awkwardly straddling the roof of the police box, her hair floating above her, dressed for bed in a baggy t-shirt with a slogan that said  _ blink if you want me  _ (which just had to have belonged to Jack at some point) and a pair of baggy shorts that either belonged to her tenth incarnation or were Ryan’s and had got mixed up in the wash.

Missy had been trying to catch her attention after the Doctor had practically demolished the kitchen cupboards and half-heartedly fiddled with the controls of her console, side-eyeing the spot where she’d died, now completely clean with no sign that she’d bled all over the floor. She wondered which of her friends had had that unpleasant job and she shivered. 

Maybe that was why she was now up on the roof, repairing, rebuilding, using her hands and her mind again after hours of lying still while her body repaired itself. It wasn’t that she was  _ avoiding  _ Missy, per se, it was just that she wasn’t sure what to say to her. While a large part of her was filled with joy that her oldest friend was still alive and had travelled across the universe to save her, another part couldn’t forget her unforgivable betrayal or what she’d done to Bill, and that was the part of her that stung and burned like a fire in her heart. 

‘Are you ignoring me?’ came a cross voice from below her. ‘Because that would be very rude you know, after all the effort I went to to save your life.’ 

‘I’ve already thanked you for that,’ the Doctor replied, teeth gritted as her small fingers made quick work of the wiring, replacing the casing over the bulb and securing it tightly.

Missy floated up to join her and sat on the roof, tucking her feet under the doorframe to prevent herself from floating off into space. She straightened her skirts, not that it made a difference in anti-gravity, and fixed the Doctor with a beady stare.

‘Look, I get that you’re mad at me. I get that you wanted me to be  _ better  _ and you thought I was  _ doing  _ better and that abandoning you on that colony ship was the opposite of  _ good,  _ and I get that you probably think I saved you to prove a point or at some ill-conceived attempt at redemption but that just isn’t the case.’

‘Then why did you bother?’ the Doctor asked, looking up with narrowed eyes. ‘You’ve always hated me, you could have easily let me die. I was dead already, why bother trying to save me?’

‘Why? Why do you think, blondie?’

Missy looked at her, and found the Doctor’s gaze focused on her face, eyes narrowed slightly, almost as though she was daring the other Time Lord to lie to her.

‘Because I love you,’ Missy said, as though this was obvious. ‘And whatever you say to the contrary, you  _ are  _ my friend. My first friend. I suppose I just couldn’t bear to watch you die. Ironic really, isn’t it? Considering all the times I’ve tried to kill you.’ 

‘Do you expect a medal?’

‘Ooh you’re snarky this time around! I approve. Seems I must have rubbed off on old Scottish.’ 

The Doctor glared at her and turned her attention to the stars, turning her head when Missy shuffled up and pressed her body against her side, giving her a little hip-check.

‘I don’t expect you to ever be able to forgive me for what I did to you or Bill on Mondas,’ Missy continued. ‘And I know that I can swear to you that I was coming back for you until I’m blue in the face but that still doesn’t give you a reason to trust me. It’s just, when I walked in and saw you lying there covered in blood with your three pets sobbing over your body, I just had a flashback to us as children, swearing we’d explore the universe together.’ She shrugged and swung her legs absentmindedly. ‘We were so innocent back then, so happy and carefree. I guess I just wasn’t ready to give up on that idea.’ 

‘You gave up on that idea when you started destroying the universe instead of exploring it,’ the Doctor said, still not looking at her. 

‘But I never gave up on you,’ Missy replied. ‘Do you want to know why I decided to save you? Do you know why I bothered exhausting us both to reach into your head and pull you out? It wasn’t because your friends were crying, or because the TARDIS was howling at me, or even because I thought you’d be pleased to see me.’

The Doctor said nothing, but she turned her head to look at Missy, expression curious.

‘ _ “God knows it’s not because it’s easy. It’s not even because it works because it hardly ever does” _ , sound familiar?’

The Doctor rolled her eyes and looked up at the stars again. ‘You’re telling me that I actually said something that you listened to for once?’ But her voice was playful and Missy smiled.

‘Without hope, without witness, without reward.’

She reached out and took the Doctor’s hand, and her friend didn't pull away, instead looking down at their linked fingers, quiet and contemplative. 

‘I guess,’ Missy said thoughtfully. ‘When it comes down to it, I suppose I saved you because even though we’ve destroyed galaxies and star systems fighting each other, I just couldn’t picture a universe without you in it.’ 

There was a pause, and then the Doctor leaned her head against Missy’s shoulder as the two Time Ladies sat and watched the stars shining brightly above their heads.

‘I really missed you,’ the Doctor said quietly, and Missy planted a kiss on her forehead. 

‘Good.’ 

* * *

A couple of hours later, the TARDIS light now repaired and Missy off having a nap somewhere (‘bringing someone back from the dead really makes you appreciate regeneration’), the Doctor was wandering the corridors, fingers idly stroking the walls of her ship as she walked, too buzzed to try and sleep again; although she knew she needed it. Not a healing coma sleep this time, a proper sleep. Dreamless and deep.

She came to the small chamber where three familiar bedroom doors presented themselves, snoring coming from behind two of them, the other slightly ajar with silence coming from within. 

‘You awake?’ the Doctor whispered into the crack in Yaz’s bedroom door.

‘Yeah, you coming in?’ came the quiet muffled response, and the Doctor snuck into the room, closing the door gently behind her and climbing into bed beside Yaz. 

Her friend blinked sleepily at her and rolled onto her side to face her, rubbing her eyes and holding the Doctor’s hand tightly in hers. 

‘Fancied a cuddle?’

‘Yeah, something like that.’

Yaz held her arms out for the Doctor to climb into them, and her hand went to the now healed wound on her friend’s side, the skin soft and new under her fingers. 

‘Does it hurt?’

‘No, not at all.’

‘You really frightened me,’ Yaz said softly, voice thick. ‘I don’t know what I would have done if you’d actually… you know.’

‘You’d have moved on,’ the Doctor said quietly, allowing Yaz to run her fingers through the blonde’s short hair, the sensation soothing and making her feel sleepy. ‘The TARDIS would have taken you home and you would have carried on being brilliant and extraordinary. And that’s amazing, cause that’s all I want from you, Yaz. To carry on being your best self. And yeah, you might have missed me. I mean I’d hope you’d miss me a little bit, but you would have moved on and I want that too.’

‘I love you,’ Yaz whispered quietly, and the Doctor snuggled into her a little more, Yaz’s arms around her tightening as she held her.

‘I know,’ the Doctor replied softly. ‘And, maybe, when this whole thing is behind us, we should do something about it, about  _ this.’ _

‘This?’

‘This unspoken thing.’

Yaz swallowed, nervous, wriggling her toes until the Doctor caught her foot between her own and trapped her legs with a smile and a gentle push of her nose against Yaz’s neck.

‘Do you mean like… a date?’

‘Yeah, I guess,’ the Doctor said thoughtfully. Then she grinned. ‘Like a date. What do you think?’

Yaz clutched her friend tightly, face buried in her hair. 

‘I’d really like that.’

* * *

**_Epilogue_ **

The music was loud but Jack paid no attention to it, sipping his drink moodily at the bar. A real bar this time, not some afterlife woven into the fabric of space time. There were aliens at this bar, but not quite the assortment of before and three full on brawls had already broken out, resulting in broken limbs and bleeding and a great deal of swearing. 

He’d left the Bar at the End of the Universe almost as soon as the Doctor had, ending up in an alley behind a pub with a knitting needle sticking out of his chest. He’d ended up there again a couple of times after that, but the Doctor hadn’t been there. A few aliens had asked where she was, and Jack had simply shrugged and said that she’d survived, gone home, back to the TARDIS and her  _ fam.  _

That was certainly better than the alternative, that she’d moved on and gone to wherever it is Time Lords go to when they die. Jack didn't even want to entertain the possibility that a light as bright as she might have left the universe. 

‘What can I get for you ma’am?’ the bartender asked, addressing someone stood just behind Jack’s shoulder. 

‘Glass of milk and a packet of oreos, ta.’

‘Coming right up.’

The Doctor swung herself into the seat next to Jack and grinned.

‘Hey there, flyboy. This seat taken?’ 

‘Is this Jack?’ an older chap said, standing behind her. He was wearing a grey jumper and jeans, and there was a younger man stood next to him who nodded appreciatively at him. 

‘Nice coat,’ the younger man said. 

‘Are you…?’

Jack could hardly believe it, the Doctor ripping open the packet of Oreos and dunking one into the glass of milk with gusto, shoving the whole soggy biscuit in her mouth. She looked bright, chipper,  _ alive.  _

‘Hey, nice to meet you,’ said a voice on his other side, and Jack turned to find another woman with long dark hair and stars on her jumper smiling at him. 

‘You must be Yaz,’ Jack said, and the Doctor glared at him.

‘Stop it.’ 

‘I was only saying hello!’

‘You should know better. This is Graham, Ryan, and yes that’s Yaz. Fam, this is Jack.’ 

‘You really call them “fam?”’

‘Yes, she really does,’ Ryan said. ‘We’ve tried to get her to stop but it’s too late.’

‘And where’s Missy?’ Jack asked as casually as he could, the Doctor’s eyes narrowing all the same.

‘Missy’s gone,’ the Doctor said. ‘She isn’t one to stick around. Probably off destroying star systems somewhere.’ 

‘So  _ Jack  _ knows Missy?’ Graham asked, confused.

‘I know her as the Master,’ Jack told him. ‘And maybe it’s a good thing she’s gone.’

The Doctor shrugged, dunking another Oreo, lost in her thoughts.

‘So you’re a World War 2 pilot?’ Graham asked. ‘Like are you  _ from _ WW2 or is that just where you first met the Doc?

‘Where I first met the Doc,’ Jack explained. ‘Wait, you call her “Doc”? She hates that. Or,  _ he  _ hated it anyway.’

Yaz was tapping the Doctor’s forehead to get her out of whatever tailspin of thoughts she’d gotten lost in and she smiled. 

‘Used to hate it, I don’t seem to mind when Graham does it though. It’s too late to get him to stop now, anyway,’ she added, with a pointed look at Ryan.

‘And you’re immortal?’ Graham asked. ‘Like, you can’t die.’

‘Pretty much,’ he conceded. ‘I haven’t yet, anyway.’

‘That’s well cool,’ Ryan said, looking impressed.

A sudden shout and a  _ bang  _ exploded somewhere behind them as another bar fight broke out and the Doctor jumped up from the bar stool and headed towards the doors.

‘Come on, fam! Before we get to see Jack’s party trick in action.’

At the doors, the three humans already heading back to the safety of the TARDIS, she turned and looked at Jack expectantly. 

‘Come on then,  _ allons-y  _ or whatever the sandshoes me used to say.’

‘You mean…’

Someone went flying over a table and the Doctor nodded urgently with her head towards the TARDIS. 

‘Get a shift on!’

Jack grinned and grabbed his coat, excitement coiling in his belly at the prospect of where the universe, and this wonderful new Doctor, was going to take him next. 

He wondered if Ryan was seeing anyone. 

(he made a mental note to work out what was going on with the Doctor and Yaz cause  _ man  _ was that juicy gossip)

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So according to the TARDIS wiki page, Time Lords have respiratory tubes rather than lungs which apparently makes them boyant, I guess it's a good job Thirteen was chained to the log in Witchfinders! 
> 
> Love to everyone ❤️❤️

**Author's Note:**

> Unsaid Things is a song by McFly and it popped into my head when I wrote that line and no I'm not sorry. 
> 
> If you enjoyed please leave me a comment! :D


End file.
